Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mateja Habinc

Born in 1973 in Brežice, Slovenia. BA in ethnology and cultural anthropology and journalism, defended her MA and PhD thesis at the Department of ethnology and cultural anthropology (OEiKA) FF UL. Between 1999 and 2006 a young researcher-assistant at the OEiKA, in the years 2006−2010 an assistant and later an assistant professor at the Faculty of Humanities Koper, and since 2008 also at the Faculty of tourist studies – Turistica, University of Primorska. Since 2010 employed at the OEiKA, first as an assistant, currently as the associated professor. Head of the chair for the Ethnology of Slovenia, head of the departmental Alumni club, until 2024 the departmental representative in the Ethical commision of the Faculty of Arts.   

At the bachelor level lecturing courses Ethnology of Slovenia 1-3, Social relations in Slovenia, leading a course Anthropology of modern Slovenia and a seminar General ethnology, urban, modern and traditional lifeways, also coordinating student’s practical training. At the MA level leading a course and a seminar Ethnological regional research of Slovenia, Ethnology of the European postsocialist countries and coordinating student’s practical training.

In the years 2009 and 2010 a researcher at the project Broadening of the encyclopaedia of natural and cultural heritage in Slovenia – DEDI II, between 2011 and 2014 a researcher at the research projects Holidays and the making of Slovene national community and Triglav national park: heritages, actors, strategies, questions and solutions. In 2016–2017 a head of the bilateral research project with BiH War as the turning point in the evaluation of past and contemporary experiences, in 2018-2020 researcher at the bilateral research project with USA Contemporary forms of post-socialist self-articulation: consumption, belief and housing.  Between 2021 and 2023 a researcher at the Erasmus + project CSI: CustomDigiTeach: Creating social impact through customized digital teaching formats, since 2024 researcher at the project Community-based models for the sustainable valorisation of cultural heritage crafts to enhance economic and tourism performance of remote areas of the Danube Region (COMMHERITOUR). A member of a departmental programme group. 

Member of a Slovene and several European professional associations. Between 1998-2003 managing editor of a Bulletin of SES, since 2003 member of several editorial boards of professional or scientific monographs and journals. In 2009 head of a programme committee of the professional conference Heritage of socialism in tourism, in 2021 a member of an organising comittee of the conferences Contemporaneity of the traditional manufacturers' and crafts' knowledge and practices and of the conference (Regional) development, project work and the role of ethnology and cultural anthropology.

Member of the interdisciplinary project team, which received the recognition of the Slovenian Science Foundation for special achievements in science communication for the year 2022 for the project Agon(ija) epidemije / Agon(y) of the epidemic.